A Different Role For Tampa Bay Buccaneers CB Vernon Hargreaves

posted by WDAE -
Mar 26, 2019

During the annual Coaches Breakfast at the NFL Owners Meeting in Arizona, Bucs head coach Bruce Arians shared the team’s plans to use cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III exclusively as an outside cornerback this year rather than inside in the slot as a nickel cornerback. Tampa Bay plans to start Hargreaves, who is entering his fourth season, and second-year cornerback Carlton Davis outside and find a player that can play in the slot in nickel situations.

Hargreaves, the team’s first-round pick in 2016, played outside cornerback during his rookie season and then transitioned to playing both inside and outside during the last two years – both of which ended prematurely on injured reserve. Hargreaves has started 25 of the 26 games he’s played with the Buccaneers, including all 16 during a trial-by-fire rookie season in which surrendered more receiving yards than any other NFL cornerback that year.